DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.9840#0326
272
the giants tomb.
[chap.
masses of gypsum near the shore. On crossing the river
at Myrtos, we entered the eparkhia of Rhizd-kastron,
bounded to the north by Lassithi and Pedhiadha, and
to the west by Mesara. It is chiefly mountainous,
abounding in springs and rivulets : most of its villages
are surrounded by fine groves of olive-trees.
At a distance of about six miles from Myrtos, and
after a ride of about two hours through a fine moun-
tainous country, we reached a considerable elevation
above the level of the sea, and arrived at a raised ridge
of earth called " the Giant's tomb2." Its length is near
forty paces : there are two olive-trees at its western end.
The elevation seems to be natural. About a mile to
the west of it is a fountain.
I find that the grandson of Apokhaps, the Saracenic
conquerer of Crete, had the epithet Tesserakontapekhys
applied to him. The identity between this appellation
of Babdel and the name of the elevated ridge in ques-
tion is curious3.
In much more ancient times we find legends of
mythical personages, the belief in whose existence and
exploits in this part of the island, is perhaps still more
likely to have given rise to the name of the place. It
will, however, be soon enough to examine the story of
Otos and Ephialtes on finding the site of the city
Biennos.
It being now almost sunset I thought it prudent,
instead of going on to Haghio Vasili this evening, to
turn off to the left soon after passing the fountain.
After going about a mile to the southward, we arrived
at the village of Sykoldgo. The chief produce of its
fields is corn, although it possesses wine and oil enough
for its own consumption.
Many coins were brought to me: they were almost
all Venetian. Out of a party of half a dozen Greeks
2 Tov aapavTcnrrixov to fivrjfxa, the tomb of the man forty cubits high.
3 Genesius, p. 22. A. ed. Ven. or p. 47. ed. Bonn. 'Satirov oe Ba/3-
6e\,—(S nrecrcrapaKOVTaTrriyy's to eir'Jivvfxov.
the giants tomb.
[chap.
masses of gypsum near the shore. On crossing the river
at Myrtos, we entered the eparkhia of Rhizd-kastron,
bounded to the north by Lassithi and Pedhiadha, and
to the west by Mesara. It is chiefly mountainous,
abounding in springs and rivulets : most of its villages
are surrounded by fine groves of olive-trees.
At a distance of about six miles from Myrtos, and
after a ride of about two hours through a fine moun-
tainous country, we reached a considerable elevation
above the level of the sea, and arrived at a raised ridge
of earth called " the Giant's tomb2." Its length is near
forty paces : there are two olive-trees at its western end.
The elevation seems to be natural. About a mile to
the west of it is a fountain.
I find that the grandson of Apokhaps, the Saracenic
conquerer of Crete, had the epithet Tesserakontapekhys
applied to him. The identity between this appellation
of Babdel and the name of the elevated ridge in ques-
tion is curious3.
In much more ancient times we find legends of
mythical personages, the belief in whose existence and
exploits in this part of the island, is perhaps still more
likely to have given rise to the name of the place. It
will, however, be soon enough to examine the story of
Otos and Ephialtes on finding the site of the city
Biennos.
It being now almost sunset I thought it prudent,
instead of going on to Haghio Vasili this evening, to
turn off to the left soon after passing the fountain.
After going about a mile to the southward, we arrived
at the village of Sykoldgo. The chief produce of its
fields is corn, although it possesses wine and oil enough
for its own consumption.
Many coins were brought to me: they were almost
all Venetian. Out of a party of half a dozen Greeks
2 Tov aapavTcnrrixov to fivrjfxa, the tomb of the man forty cubits high.
3 Genesius, p. 22. A. ed. Ven. or p. 47. ed. Bonn. 'Satirov oe Ba/3-
6e\,—(S nrecrcrapaKOVTaTrriyy's to eir'Jivvfxov.